It's School, Not A Sanctuary
by VoodooPadfoot
Summary: This is a story about what happend to Neville, Luna, Ginny and the rest of the D.A in the deathly Hallows... a real ensemble cast.
1. Chapter 1

It's School… Not a Sanctuary

Scheming and Sorting

It definitely _wasn't _going to be the same: Luna knew that before she set foot on the usual steamy, loud platform. I guess it won't be that bad, she thought. At least I'll have Neville and Ginny to keep me company.

As though thinking of them summoned them to her side, she turned to see Ginny pulling Neville along by his sleeve.

"Hey Luna," Ginny called over to her.

Luna glided over and smiled broadly at them. "Hello Ginny, hello Neville."

Her eyes made contact with Neville's face, but the angle in which she normally let her eyes fall on him had changed. He seemed to have grown a head taller over the holidays. Trying to think of something nice to say, she continued, "You're tall."

Neville grinned. "Thanks, Luna. You look very nice today."

This was actually true, for once. Even if she was wearing a purple cardigan over a green and yellow caftan, she had brushed her hair more today, and had combed it out of her face, showing her protuberant eyes.

"Thank you, Neville," Luna said serenely. "Daddy says in the holidays were going looking for a Glimping Hornberry – and they're almost as tall as you."

Neville grinned, as though he couldn't have had a higher compliment bestowed upon him.

Ginny rolled her eyes at her two friends making obvious, bizarre attempts at flirting.

"Once you two have finished this small bonding exercise…do you mind if we go and find a compartment?"

Ginny's statement brought Neville and Luna back to Earth and they dragged their trunks onto the train to find an empty compartment. For the first time in Neville's memory, they didn't have to travel far. He guessed peoples parents were still saying their goodbyes as though they may never meet again under the "new regime."

Neville helped Ginny and Luna put their trunks into the luggage racks and then dropped himself onto the seat nearest the doorway, resting his head on the pane. Ginny sat cross-legged opposite him, and Luna kneeled on the floor, seeming to have forgotten that there were four free seats. Placidly, she opened a copy of the _Quibbler_, the front of which read: _Stand Together or United We Fall!_ Neville noticed it was an article about recruiting people for the "anti-Voldemort" resistance, with a large picture of Harry under it.

"Wow!" Ginny exclaimed. "It's great that your dad's still writing stuff like that. We need more people like him."

Luna looked over the top of the magazine and smiled. "Oh yes, father's all for Harry at the moment. I think he's very proud of the fact that I know him. He says he really_ is_ the only one who can stop You-Know-Who. I of course believe this too, I'm sure Harry, Ron and Hermione are going to come back, only when they've found what they're looking for."

After that illuminating reply, Luna went back to the _Quibbler _as if she'd said nothing out of the ordinary. Used to this kind of behavior, Neville and Ginny grinned at each other.

"You know, I've been thinking over the summer," Neville began, "and I've decided that we really _should_ start the DA again, even if Harry, Ron and Hermione aren't here."

"Yeah," Ginny agreed. "But they were kind of like the ring leaders. I mean –" she amended at Neville's imploring look, " – that it won't be as simple without them, we're not dealing with stupid Ministry officials anymore. This is the real thing…I mean, Snape killed Dumbledore! If we do this, it's not messing around anymore."

"Yes but the whole point of the DA was to help us practice for the real thing and here it is, staring us in the face," Neville replied with a note of indignation in his voice.

Luna, now intrigued by the conversation, put down her magazine and sat on the seat next to Ginny. "I think it would be really exciting," she said breathlessly, staring at Neville. "It was just like having friends."

Even though this was a common phrase that Luna used, Ginny and Neville still glanced at each other uncomfortably. Luna's penchant for truth telling was sometimes quite awkward.

"We should start it again," continued Luna, oblivious to the embarrassed silence, "and only tell people who we can trust." She paused for a minute. "And, of course, they'll have to be some sort of test to make sure we're not being infiltrated by vampires…or Death Eaters…"

"Death Eaters?" Neville looked alarmed.

"I think she just means that we have to catch Snape and the Carrows off guard, Neville," Ginny said soothingly.

Neville looked towards Luna for confirmation, but Luna was spared replying as someone spoke from the doorway.

"What're you talking about?"

Ginny, Luna and Neville turned to the doorway to find Parvati, Padma and Lavender entering the compartment.

Luna smiled serenely, her protuberant eyes widening. "Well, I was thinking about some sort of water torture…or I've heard that there's a dragon underneath Hogwarts. We could steal that, and…"

"_Not_ that," Neville said loudly. "How we're going to catch Snape off guard!"

Ginny leaned forward, a slightly cheeky glint in her eye. "Well, I think we should stand up to them. You know – pull pranks, make things go missing, destroy priceless heirlooms…basically follow in Fred and George's footsteps," she finished, grinning. "If they don't know who's behind any of the stunts, it'll keep them permanently on edge. We should keep things very quiet, not only for our own safety, but because it'll just scare them even more."

Trying to break the silence Parvati said, "Yeah, that's all well and good, but we have far fewer people than we used to in the DA. I mean, what are we supposed to do with all the muggle-borns gone? Merlin knows where Harry, Ron and Hermione are, and all the older students, the ones who were _best_ at magic, have left."

"Well aren't you the optimist!" muttered Neville under his breath and everyone laughed.

The journey to Hogwarts progressed quicker than Ginny had expected. When the train drew into Hogwarts station, she looked out the window to see a familiar, heart-warming site. Peering down the station she was relieved to see the gigantic figure of Rubeus Hagrid shouting his signature line of, "Firs' years! Firs' years this way!"

Stepping out the train on to the cold platform, she held out her hand to help Luna get down and the three of them walked along the platform, to join the queue to get onto the Thestral drawn carriages.

"Hi guys," Ginny shouted at three figures ahead of them. The figures turned and Neville could make out the tall silhouettes of Anthony Goldstein, Terry Boot and Michael Corner.

Ginny didn't feel awkward at all around Michael: they hadn't talked for a while after they had broken up, but after the last summer holidays their hostility had been subdued somewhat.

Once they got in to one of the carriages, Terry brought out a pack of Exploding Snap cards and started dealing them out. People were reluctant to pick them up and start playing, as it was a well-known fact that Terry was the Exploding Snap champion, but they did so all the same.

"I was wondering – did any of you think about restarting the DA over the summer?" Anthony asked, in a way that showed that he for one was _desperate _to restart the club.

Neville, Luna and Ginny exchanged looks and grinned at him. "What?" Anthony asked, looking slightly affronted.

"Oh, it's nothing," Ginny assured him. "It's just that we had the same conversation on the train."

The three Ravenclaw boys looked very pleased about this. "You think we should restart it then?" Michael asked eagerly.

"Oh yeah we're all for it, but I guess some people will need a bit of persuading," Ginny replied, but looking at their confused faces she continued. "I mean, we're not dealing with a few pompous gits from the Ministry this time, are we? This is really it, what we've all been freaked about… and there are a lot less of us now."

"Yeah I guess," said Terry, looking crestfallen. "I mean, we could persuade Padma to ask some of the girls, and we could ask some of the guys… you know, ones we can trust. SNAP!" he added, to various groans.

"Finally," Ginny smiled at him, "someone who sees sense. I think we've got some major planning to do." The others all looked a little worried by this, and turned to face her.

She grinned again at their anxious faces and elaborated on her statement. "Come on people, it's now our turn to be leaders. All the time we've been happy to help out and follow plans, but never to lead. As much as I really miss my brothers and other friends, we're stuck here so we might as well make the most of it. Don't you want to make the resistance on the outside proud of what their children are doing? Don't you want to take chances like we did two years ago, stand up for what we want, _and_ have fun doing it?"

Ginny gave them all questioning looks and they all broke into laughter. But not laughter at what Ginny had said, that was quite clear. All five of them were ready to do anything to get back at the man who had changed their school, their second _home,_ forever.

As they walked into the packed room, the Ravenclaws stopped off at their table, whereas Neville and Ginny carried on to the other end of the hall. They saw a familiar windswept face with collar length sandy hair falling into his eyes, slightly obscuring his vision waving at them.

They went over to join Seamus, who was sitting opposite Parvati and Lavender. He looked slightly saddened as they sat down, peering around at them, obviously searching for someone.

"He's not going to be here," Lavender said sympathetically, looking and Seamus. He nodded, and Ginny understood. He was looking for Dean, but she knew he wouldn't be coming back: he had no proof he wasn't muggle-born.

Seamus turned to Ginny and Neville with an eager expression on his face. "Is Harry coming back, do you know?"

They both shook their heads in a solemn sort of way, then, completely unexpectedly, someone exclaimed in a hoarse whisper behind them.

"WHAT! You mean he's just going to leave us here?"

They all looked up to see Jimmy Peakes had joined in their discussion. "Well you hardly expected him to just stroll into the building with Death Eaters and Dementors swarming around it!" Ginny snapped back, fuming.

Neville was looking sympathetic, but Seamus urged her on. "Well, what about Ron or Hermione? Come on, you can't mean neither of them are coming back too?"

"Well Hermione's a Muggle born, isn't she, so she'd be pretty screwed if she came back," replied Parvati before Ginny could answer.

"But why isn't Ron coming back?" Lavender asked, looking worried.

At this Ginny did something utterly bewildering. She broke out into a fit of giggles. Looking at their expressions she explained. "Well the Death Eaters know he's a really good friend of Harry's, so…" She broke off, looking worried, and glanced around to see if anyone was listening in. "You swear not to tell _anyone_?"

They assured her with nods and she continued. "He's pretending to have a bad bout of Spattergroit!"

"What do you mean? How can you _pretend_ to have Spattergroit?" Parvati asked, confused.

Ginny was on the tip of explaining, but she was silenced almost immediately by the doors opening at the other end of the hall.

The Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables seemed to all breathe a sigh of relief to see the usual sight of first years being shepherded into the hall by the unyielding, straight-backed figure which belonged to the aging Professor McGonagall.

The hat was placed on its usual stool and after its song, the sorting had began. Neville noticed the line was a lot shorter than last year.

Probably owing to the fact that no letters would have been sent to Muggle-Borns, he thought, disgusted.

"Avery, Rees," Professor McGonagall called. Neville looked up – he'd heard that name before. An extremely tall boy, broad shouldered, with thick black hair in a short ponytail walked up to the hat a placed it on his head.

A few seconds later the hat roared, "Slytherin!"

Neville booed and hissed along with all the other Gryffindors, as Rees joined the rest of the Slytherins. He turned to Seamus and asked, "Who's Head Boy and Girl this year, I never found out. Is it someone like Ernie?"

Seamus sniggered. "You really think our new_ Headmaster_ would have put Ernie Macmillan as head boy? Nah… It's that Blaise Zabini git, and Parkinson's head girl." Lavender and Parvati exchanged looks that blatantly said what _they _thought of the appointment of Pansy Parkinson as head girl.

"Did I tell you," Seamus began, "my sister is starting this year!" And sure enough, a few minuets later Professor McGonagall called out the name, "Finnigan, Sorrel." A pretty little girl with golden brown hair in bunches and a few freckles spattered across her nose stepped up to put the hat on. It contemplated for a while this time, before shouting, "Gryffindor!"

Seamus almost jumped out of his seat with delight as the little girl ran over to the Gryffindor table to meet her elder brother. Seamus ruffled her hair with pride and turned back to watch the rest of the sorting.

A few more familiar faces were sorted this year than usual, Anthony Goldstein's younger brother became a Ravenclaw next and a few minutes after that another girl was called up as, "Parkinson, Mina." The hat seemed to take ages on this girl, supposedly a relative of Pansy's, until it shouted, "Gryffindor!"

From the other side of the hall, Ginny saw Pansy swear and give the small girl a look of deepest loathing. The girl walked, head bowed, over to the Gryffindor table, looking worried. Ginny, noticing that this little girl might need a bit of comfort, gestured her to come and join them. Mina reluctantly obliged.

Now that they could see her up close, Ginny noticed that she looked nothing like her older sister. She had chestnut coloured hair and large, navy blue eyes. Now that Ginny came to think about it, she might not have been Pansy's sister at all.

After the sorting Snape didn't even stand up to make a speech, he just gave a slight nod to the students and the food appeared in front of them as usual. Seamus helped himself to steak and kidney pudding, and then turned to the girl sitting next to Ginny. "You any relation to the Pug sitting over there?" he asked, gesturing to the Slytherin table. "OUCH!" he added suddenly, and Ginny guessed by the annoyed look on his face that Lavender had just kicked him in the shins.

However the little girl smiled and answered, "She's my cousin. I really didn't want to be a Slytherin, I can't _stand _her boyfriend. You know, the kind of short one with blonde hair who sneers at everything. I can't see him over there though."

Neville noticed that this reply came with a superb streak of confidence for a first year. "Oh yeah, we know her boyfriend," he said darkly, and went back to his shepherds pie.

Sorrel looked around, as though wondering who best to query her thoughts with and then asked Parvati, "Is it true you guys have a secret society?"

Seamus sniggered and ruffled his sister's hair again.

"I'm guessing Seamus here's told you all about Dumbledore's Army then?" said Lavender with a grin, giving Seamus a glowing look.

He winked at her and replied, "Well you've got to talk about something in the holidays don't you! Hell, we could do with some new blood in the DA if we're going to carry it on."

At the end of the meal, the puddings and dirty plates vanished to leave their places clean again. Professor Snape waited for silence before getting up off the headmaster's chair, to look down at all of them. He definitely didn't have the same warming presence as Professor Dumbledore: he looked solemn and sour, and had an expression on his face as though didn't really want to be there. However he spoke in his usual, carrying voice.

"We have two new staff appointments this year. Alecto Carrow," he gestured to the stout, ugly woman on his right, wearing blood red robes, "will be teaching Muggle Studies due to the early retirement of Professor Burbage, whereas her brother Amycus Carrow," he indicated to the man sitting on the right of his sister, wearing jet black robes with a high collar, "will be taking up my old post of as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

With that he sat down, not choosing to make any announcements, which made everyone look around and start muttering perplexedly.

At this point they saw Snape nod towards Professor McGonagall and she stood up instead. "I have been _told_ to explain the usual notices which are _normally_ given out by the Headmaster." She gave Snape a contemptuous look before turning back to her audience. "The Forbidden Forest is, as ever, out of bounds. Any items bought at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes are banned, and Filch tells me he would like to emphasise this rule on any form of fireworks bought on those premises." Her mouth twitched and the students could tell that she was on the verge of smiling, obviously remembering the catastrophic incident with those fireworks two years ago. "Please give your names to your house Quidditch Captains if your wish to apply for the team, and lessons will start at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. So for now, goodnight." She sat down again as the students rose from their seats and, talking loudly, exited the hall.

Demelza Robins and Felicity Spinnet, two girls in Ginny's dormitory, caught up with the group as they left the hall.

"Hey, Ginny," Demelza started. Ginny turned around to meet her. "I was wondering if you know who's Quidditch Captain this year?"

Ginny looked puzzled at this comment at first but then replied, "Oh yeah, it won't be Harry now, will it?"

"No. I just thought McGonagall might've given you the Captainship instead, seeing as you've been on the team for the longest."

Ginny smiled at her and the group carried on up the stairs to the Gryffindor Tower. As she was putting on her pyjamas and climbing into bed, Ginny started to think of Harry and hope desperately that he, Ron and Hermione were all right.

Resting on her pillow, she stared around at her dormitory that she'd known so well for five years. Demelza and Felicity were both chatting to people in the common room, and Leonie had already gone to sleep, and then she noticed an empty bed near the North window. Of course, she thought bitterly, Jade Markston wouldn't have come back, that poor, sweet, sixteen year old girl was on the run or halfway to Azkaban.

This terrible, heart-wrenching thought, made Ginny reach out, subconsciously, for the Galleon that was lying on her bedside table. Just touching it, knowing it was there, reassured her enough to close her eyes and get some sleep.


	2. Chp 2 Recruitment

It's School Not a Sanctuary

Recruitment

Luna woke up rather earlier than the other girls in her dormitory, they didn't like her waking them up and going to breakfast at ludicrous hours, so she decided to stay in bed for a while, staring at the silver and bronze stars on the midnight blue ceiling.

Vanessa and Genie both woke up about half an hour later, yawing hugely and stretching with screwed up eyes.

"Morning, Luna." Vanessa smiled, almost falling back on her pillow again.

"Hello, Nessa," Luna replied. "We better get going if we're going to get any breakfast."

She skipped out of the dormitory, leaving the other two girls behind her.

Luna sat near Padma and her fellow Ravenclaw seventh years at breakfast. Su Li and Mandy Brocklehurst were laughing at a joke Terry was telling, whereas Padma was having a frantic conversation with Morag MacDougal and Lisa Turpin. Looking up and seeing Luna, Padma called her over, obviously looking at her for help in this argument.

"I've just been telling Lisa and Morag about the DA," Padma explained. "We can trust them, honestly. I've been friends with them since first year," she assured Luna.

Luna nodded, just as Morag said, "'Them' are right here, and 'them' were just wondering if any of you guys a tad suicidal?"

Just at that, Anthony and Michael came over to the table, with Stephen Cornfoot; another Ravenclaw seventh year.

"Are we still in recruiting mode then, Pads?" Anthony asked, giving Padma a good morning kiss.

"Yes, I am." She replied simply.

"Well we think the Hufflepuffs have got some of their mates interested, judging by what they said as they were coming up from their common room." Michael said, optimistically.

"Anyway," Stephen said, "I guess we're going to have to find out a time to meet won't we?"

"Are _you_ going?" Lisa asked, stunned.

"Of _course _I'm going!" Stephen replied, looking shocked. "Those bastards have just made sure that my best friend will not be allowed to see me again. Kevin is in sodding Azkaban for Merlin's sake!"

He got silencing glances from the rest of the group and sat down quickly, not to attract attention to himself.

"Well that swings it." Lisa smiled.

"That swings what?" Terry asked, turning away from his audience.

"I'm joining, you great dunce," Lisa replied. "The DA sounds like a great idea, come one guys, join with me." The other three girls gave reluctant nods as Professor Flitwick came down the table handing out timetables.

Luna held her hand out for hers as Professor Flitwick smiled, "You did very well in your OWLs, dear, all Es and Os. I think you are choosing-" he continued, searching along her timetable, "Divination, Herbology, Charms (of course), Defence Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy and Muggle Studies."

Luna was stunned to hear the last subject; she had never taken Muggle Studies, why was she doing it now? Noticing her confused face, Professor Flitwick explained. "Yes, Miss Lovegood, Muggle Studies. It has been decided by our _new Headmaster _that this subject should be studied by all, _including_ NEWT students."

With that, the little man hurried along the table to give Su Li her timetable.

Ginny met up with Luna on the way to Charms, one of the subjects they did together. She strode up to Luna with Leonie, Felicity and Demelza running in her wake.

"Hi Ginny, what subjects are you taking again?" Luna asked.

"Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions and Care of Magical Creatures," Ginny replied in a flurry of words. "But never mind that, I've got some _excellent_ news!"

"Oh?" queried Luna, looking bemused.

"Yes," Ginny exclaimed looking exasperated, "I've got at least three people, definitely interested in joining."

"Really, who?" Luna asked.

"We're right behind you, Loon-" Felicity started but corrected herself by the glare on Ginny's face, "Luna."

"Oh, good," Luna said, smiling. "Padma and I have got all the Ravenclaw seventh years interested and I'm going to _maybe_ see how Vanessa and Genie feel about it. But I'm not always too sure that I can trust them; they sometimes hide my clothes, you see."

"Well it sounds like we're going to have a right little crew then," Ginny mused.

At break time it became quite clear, how many people were actually interested in joining up. They all sat together in a corner of the courtyard, talking in hushed tones, which wasn't really necessary due to the amount of people outside, to keep them hidden.

Neville and Seamus, who were heading this meeting, had brought along Sorrel and Mina, who had taken to following Seamus around _everywhere_. Anthony had also brought along his little brother, Daniel. Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie Coote had been talked into coming by Demelza, who they spent most of there time with. The Hufflepuffs who were already in the DA had brought two more along, Wayne Hopkins, a skinny boy with spiky red hair. And also Megan Jones; a tall, slim, pretty girl with waist length black hair, whom it was common knowledge, was the niece of Gwenog Jones, Captain of the Holyhead Harpies. All the other Ravenclaw seventh years were there as well, with Luna in their midst. Finally Ginny, Leonie, Vanessa and Felicity, sat on Neville's other side and Lavender and Parvati sat at the back, on the look out for eavesdroppers.

Seamus cleared his throat and the babble of noise died down at once. With a nod towards him, Neville stood up. "Hi guys, err… in case you haven't noticed… um… we have around the same amount of people as the original DA had two years ago." He paused as a few people turned around to count their fellows. "Anyway," he continued, with more gusto, "This meeting is just to know if you interested, it's not set in stone. It's just, kind of a 'tell people you know' session."

He sat down again as quick as possible; making fancy speeches was _never_ his forte. Zacharias Smith, a Hufflepuff to whom he had always disliked intensely, was the next to speak. "What are you expecting to do in these meetings? I mean, last time they had a _point_ to them, we were learning. But I can't see any benefit of causing three highly skilled Death Eaters' anger to boil over, just for the hell of it. Personally it is an idiotic idea."

"Oh yes, because it's always the _Hufflepuffs_ who've got the great ideas," Terry muttered a little too loudly, making the Ravenclaws snigger and the Hufflepuffs scowl.

"Look," Ginny said loudly, to stop what was evidently going to end up as a heated row. "No one asked you sodding opinion, Smith, and I don't think any of us really want it. So quite frankly, if you don't want to be here, bugger off and become a snivelling Slytherin."

Everyone laughed at this, Zacharias had always been unpopular (even with his fellow Hufflepuffs).

"Anyway--" Seamus started, trying to restore calm. "We've gotta think up a way of meeting each other, with out getting over heard. The idea Hermione had last time was good, but can anyone of us produce a Protean Charm?"

The group fell silent at this point until Su Li, as timid as ever, spoke up, "I can. I've been able to since third year. But why do we need one of them?"

Ginny looked around frantically, to check if anyone was really listening in, and then said, "We used to use fake Galleons, which would say the time and date of the next lesson. They all had the Protean Charm on; so whenever Harry changed his, everyone's changed."

The new people were nodding, but giving each other confused looks, they noticed the same problem which Neville had. "Err, Ginny--" he started, "Harry isn't here anymore and we don't know how many of these guys actually want to join and we might be able to get many more. So what I'm saying is that there are only fifteen of us who actually have those coins."

"Fourteen," Seamus corrected him. "I came later remember, I've only ever had one DA meeting."

"And I suppose your going to have to make it thirteen," Zacharias piped up again. "Because I don't want anything to do with this stupidity, if anyone wants to join me there welcome, I'm leaving." With that he pushed himself up from the rock he was sitting on and strode away, nose in the air.

Two of the "Newbies" looked on the verge of following, Morag and Wayne, but seemed to think better of it.

"Anyway," Neville continued, as though there had been no interruption, "We really need more coins, and we also have the problem of getting a coin which will set the date. This should really be the leader's coin, but we don't have a leader like last time. Do we?"

"We should vote," Susan Bones piped up. It was hard to tell who she was at first, she'd cut off her signature long plait over the summer, dyed her usually chestnut brown hair jet black and was wearing so much eye make-up, her eyes seemed to be obscured completely. No one seemed to know the reason for this drastic change; from a sensible, smart Hufflepuff, to nothing short of a depressive wreck, and no one seemed willing to confront her about it. However, people nodded in agreement and sat up a little straighter to get a better view of those around them.

"Okay," Seamus started, "We need to vote firstly for all the people best picked for leader, and then eliminate everyone until we're left with one person who we can all agree on."

"I think Neville would be a good choice," Luna said, in her usual dreamy tone.

"How about Ginny though?" Michael asked the group at large.

"Oh, I think Lavender would make a good leader. Don't you all?" Seamus asked, trying to catch his girlfriend's attention.

"What?" Lavender looked up, from giggling in the corner with Parvati.

"Oh it's nothing dear," Padma replied, "Just your _lovely boyfriend _trying to get you to stand for leader."

Lavender's face assumed a look of mingled disgust and utter bewilderment, before Seamus started to speak, "Sorry Lav, I just couldn't resist."

"Alright," Padma said, looking bemused, "Everyone who thinks Ginny should be leader, put up your hand."

Around a dozen hands shot into the air, including all of her Gryffindor room-mates and a few of Padma's friends.

After counting the hands, Padma continued, "And for Neville?"

More hands shot into the air this time, including all the Hufflepuffs, Luna, the rest of the Ravenclaws as well as Sorrel and Mina.

It was already quite obvious the Neville had won the vote but Padma, purely to amuse herself asked, "So how about Lavender?"

Parvati and Seamus were the only two to raise their hands, everyone started laughing.

"Well that settles it," Ginny continued in a raised voice, "Neville's leader."

Neville could feel himself reddening as she spoke. "I think we all better get going," he said in an undertone.

And with that they dispersed, back into small groups, just as the bell rang to signify their next lesson.

They'd had some strange Defence against the Dark Arts teachers before, all bringing a different "aspect" to the curriculum. But with Amycus Carrow, it was a whole different lesson.

No matter what it said on their timetables, the Gryffindors could tell that this definitely _wasn't _Defence against the Dark Arts. This was just _Dark Arts_! What kind of teacher would expect a seventh year class to use The Cruciatus Curse on each other, _in the first lesson!_

Seamus and Neville gave each other apprehensive looks and silently agreed to just _pretend_ to be in pain.

Lavender and Parvati both seemed terrified by their new teacher, along with all the other girls in the class. As he called out the register he smirked as he read Susan's name, her eyes narrowed. All the class could guess why, she'd lost so many family members to the Death Eaters it was a wonder she was still there. His mouth twitched again while reading Neville's name, although only Seamus knew why.

By the end of the lesson, many of the more obedient students were aching from curse.

As they were packing their bags away, Professor Carrow asked, "Miss Bones." Everyone looked up, petrified, or in the Slytherins' case, excited. "I need you to stay behind, to arrange you detention."

Almost everyone's mouths fell open, Susan get a detention? It was absurd; she was getting more enigmatic by the minute. But it also didn't make any sense; she hadn't spoken all lesson, how on _earth_ had she earned herself a detention?

Preferring not to argue with their new, ever so slightly sadistic teacher, they left Susan to walk up to the teacher's desk alone, after Megan and Hannah mouthed, "We'll wait outside."

They filed out of the classroom in silence, but as soon as they were out of ear shot, they went into an uproar of complaints and abuses, at this new _teacher_.

"Why didn't someone like McGonagall prevent this?" Parvati asked, scandalised.

"Oh yeah, because _she's _the one in charge now," Seamus replied, sarcastically.

"I can't believe our homework is to _practice _it!" Neville raged, fuming.

"We're _never _going to pass our NEWT's at this rate," said Ernie, pompously.

They carried on this same tone all the way down to lunch, but Megan and Hannah stayed behind, just as they'd promised.

It took Susan a quarter of an hour, before she was allowed out my Carrow. The normally strong-minded, brave, cheery girl was sobbing into her pencil case, clutched in her arms. Megan relieved her of all the books she was carrying as Hannah put an arm around her, and whispered, "What did he want?"

Susan ignored this, so Hannah pressed on, "Was it about Justin?"

At this Susan completely broke down, crying into Hannah's shoulder.

Megan patted her back and asked, "What did he say?"

Getting a hold of herself, Susan looked her friend straight in the eyes, before replying, "He was holding me back to torment me really. He'd found out that we were going out, though I have no idea how. Apparently someone gave Justin away, about being a Muggle Born. Something stupid about him being down for Eton and that he'd been one of the main culprits behind the '_stealing of magic_'. I mean the whole thing's _ludicrous;_ he was still at school or heavens sake. I've been worrying about him all summer, I think people have noticed, but now he's going to Azkaban and I don't know what I'm going to do."

Hannah and Megan, who'd been listening to Susan speak in a shocked silence, put their arms around her and hugged her tight. Hannah looked up at her friend and said, "You know he's going to be alright, he's not the only one, I'm sure the others will look out for him."

Susan managed a smile at this news and with that, the three best friends went down to the Great Hall, for lunch.

After lunch, Susan, Hannah and Megan caught up with Ernie and Wayne.

"Hello guys." Ernie smiled at them. "Hannah, have you got Herbology next?"

Before she could answer, there was a bang outside the Great Hall and they all ran into the Entrance Hall.

There were two boys standing face to face, looking daggers at each other. Looking closer, they noticed one of them was Anthony's little brother, the other was a tall Slytherin from the sorting ceremony.

The Slytherin raised his wand just as someone yelled from behind them, "OI!"

A crowd was gathering by now, and at the front of it were Padma and Su staring at the two boys, wands raised.

Daniel whipped around to see who had shouted. In the split second he let his guard down; the Slytherin grabbed his chance and blasted Daniel backwards.

Some other first years ran forward to help Daniel up, just as Padma yelled again, "THAT'S ENOUGH."

She stepped up to the Slytherin; although being a first year he was at least a head taller than Padma, but he cowered at her glare.

"Contrary to popular opinion, there are prefects in other houses than yours, you idiot," she shouted, silence had fallen now. "And for your information, I happen to be one. So stop this and I'm putting you in detention."

At this point the boy, who'd looked almost terrified a moment before, burst out laughing. "You," he sniggered, "_you_, a little Ravenclaw girl, are going to put _me _in detention."

He'd started the other Slytherins laughing now. "Do you know who I am?" the boy asked, trying to control his laughter. "I'm Laurence Avery's _son_."

There was a tense, swelling feeling, spreading through the hall, affecting everyone in it.

Padma felt a cold hand touch hers. "Come on," whispered Anthony's voice, "you better go."

But before Padma could walk away there was a harsh, cruel voice, from behind them. "What's going on here?"

Hannah couldn't help letting out a gasp, as Alecto Carrow descended the stairs to the Hall. The woman approached the crowd, and it parted so fast, it was as though she had split it down the middle.

By the time she'd reached Padma and the Slytherin, the crowed had thinned significantly; clearly not wanting to be caught off guard by Alecto Carrow.

She was almost the exact height as Padma; she leered at her with her small, pitiless eyes. "I'll ask again, girl. What's going on here?"

Padma stayed in a terrified silence.

"I hear Rees has already told you who his father is and I suppose, dense as you are, you have no problem guessing that I know him?" Alecto continued.

All Padma could do is shake her head.

"Well I think that it isn't him who will be having that detention, dear." She glared at Padma. "I'll see you at eight' o'clock tonight, my office. I'm sure you know where old Professor Burbage's office is, you seem to be the type to have taken Muggle Studies."

With that, Professor Carrow left, leaving a nervous silence behind her.

The seventh years ran up to the library, going to search for the Gryffindors, to tell them what just happened.

"That woman is _foul_," Lavender squealed.

"And that boy said he was Avery's _son_?" Neville asked, outraged.

Ernie nodded solemnly.

"Don't go to that detention Pads," urged Parvati, giving her twin an imploring look.

"Oh come _on,_ Parvati. I _have_ to go," Padma replied, staring straight back at her. "It'll be a thousand times worse if I don't; I mean she can't do anything that bad, we're at _school_ remember."

Anthony covered his face with his hands, catching sight of him out of the corner of her eye, Padma snapped, "_What now_?"

He looked up at his girlfriend. "I'm sorry if I'm a little distressed _Padma_." He stressed using her full name; he only did that if he was seriously upset. "Or am I supposed to be completely happy with the situation?"

"What situation?" she asked.

"SHE'S A BLOODY DEATH EATER!" Anthony roared, earning him a fierce glare from Madame Pince. He dropped his voice, but kept the same harsh tone. "A proper _Death Eater_ is about to give my girlfriend a 'detention'. I'm sorry, but I don't see any problem in that at all. No, not one," he finished sarcastically, grabbing his bag and storming out of the room.

They all stared at the stop where Anthony had just left, before Seamus said, in an undertone, "That kid's not a first-year."

"I know my boyfriend's not a first-year, thanks," Padma snapped again. "Even if he does act like one sometimes," she added.

"Funny," Seamus glowered at her. "I meant that Avery bloke, no _first year_ has the startings of facial hair, and how come he's hanging around with fifth years?"

He stared at all their blank faces before continuing, "He's one of the kids who's been home schooled. The Avery's must have decided Hogwarts was beneath them; but now they've _got _to send their kid hear, under that new law."

"That actually makes a lot of sense," Neville said after a pause.

"Well deep down, I am a genius," Seamus replied and Lavender giggled.

"Oh will you two just pack it in?" Padma asked, furious. She snatched up her bag and ran out of the library, Su and Mandy tailing after her.

The Ravenclaws sat very tense in the common room that night. None of them knew what would happen in Padma's so called, 'detention'.

Anthony sat in a corner of the common room, flicking through his Ancient Runes essay, only pretending to read it.

At half-eleven, when only the seventh years, Luna, Vanessa and Genie were left, the door opened. Padma stumbled into the room, looking dazed, and her eyes swollen.

Anthony sprang to his feet, ran up to her, and hugged her tightly. Staring down into her beautiful face, he saw her tear filled eyes staring up at him, and felt her freezing skin. She couldn't speak, she just stared at him.

"That's it," said Michael, with a note of finality in his voice, "You're going to the hospital wing."

Anthony grabbed her arm, Terry ran forward the other.

"We better tell Professor Flitwick," Lisa said, trying to keep her voice steady. "I'll just tell him that we're taking Padma to the hospital wing, so we don't get in trouble for being out late."

Stephen nodded. "I'll go with you."

They walked out of the common room and down the stairs, splitting to go their separate ways at the bottom.

Madame Pomfrey lay Padma down on a bed in the Hospital Wing and bustled off to get a potion.

"What happened?" Anthony asked her, for what seemed like the umpteenth time.

But Padma still couldn't answer; she just silently let tears fall down her face, which Anthony stroked away.

"I'm _so_ sorry Pads. I shouldn't have shouted at you earlier."

But before she could even try to answer, Madame Pomfrey came back with a bottle of purple liquid.

"It's just a sleeping draft, dear," she assured her, "Just to give you a good night's rest. Even if your classmates can't tell what's happened, _I_ know the Cruciatus curse when I see it."

"WHAT?" All of the students shouted at once.

"Quieten down _please_," implored Madame Pomfrey. "Professor Flitwick will be here soon, I would like the rest of you to go off to bed."

"But-" started Anthony.

"No, this girl needs a good night's sleep, off to bed _all of you_." She put so much menace into the last three words that it seemed they had no choice but to obey.

After giving Padma a swift kiss on the cheek, Anthony followed the other Ravenclaws back to their tower.


End file.
